Teenager shot/killed while Tweek's hero gets off free

[Salodin]

Ugh, here. Something to talk about.

George Zimmerman's Legal Team Calls It Quits
BY ENJOLI FRANCIS and MATT GUTMAN (@mattgutmanABC)
SANFORD, Fla. April 10, 2012
PHOTO: Trayvon Martin, 17, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman.
Trayvon Martin, 17, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman. (ABC News; Orange County Jail)

In a hastily convened news conference, George Zimmerman's legal team said today they would no longer represent the man who fatally shot unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman's lawyers said they are withdrawing from the case because they have lost contact with Zimmerman, who is refusing to answer their calls, texts and emails.

Zimmerman, 28, a white Hispanic neighborhood watch captain, shot and killed the black, unarmed Miami teenager Feb. 26 after following him for several minutes.

The lawyers said they had not spoken to him since Sunday, after they set up a website with his father for his legal defense. The following day, Zimmerman announced a separate website that surprised the lawyers.

Craig Sonner, one of the lawyers, said there were "lots of things going on that I don't know about," including Zimmerman speaking to Fox TV's Sean Hannity off the record and calling the special prosecutor who is investigating the shooting.

"We were a bit astonished," one of the lawyers said referring to the call to the special prosecutor. He said the prosecutor's office declined to speak to Zimmerman without his lawyers, but Zimmerman replied that they were merely his legal advisers, the attorney said.

The two lawyers said they were concerned about Zimmerman, who they described as isolated.

"He can't go out to a 7/11 to buy a Diet Coke. There's a bounty out there," one of his lawyers said and suggested Zimmerman was probably suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Perhaps the pressure has pushed him over the edge," the lawyer said. The attorney suggested Zimmerman may not be handling the pressure and has lost weight.

He also said that Zimmerman was not in Florida, saying, "You can stop looking for him in Florida. Look much further than that."

Both lawyers said they still stood by their belief that Zimmerman had shot Martin in self-defense.

"We frankly believe that the correct decision would be not to charge him," Sonner said.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/george-zimm...ry?id=16110510

So, as a lawyer, if you know your client is has no chance in hell to get anything except life or death penalty, do you abandon ship or stick it through and defend as best you can a fight that's already lost?

[Chun Liroy]

Lol.

Edit: Also, from last night on Daily Show.

[Ragnus]

Ugh, here. Something to talk about.



http://abcnews.go.com/US/george-zimm...ry?id=16110510

So, as a lawyer, if you know your client is has no chance in hell to get anything except life or death penalty, do you abandon ship or stick it through and defend as best you can a fight that's already lost?

I think it's less of a case of giving up on him due to sentences and more out of the fact that he's being a frustrating client.

I do find it odd that the Black Panthers can put out a bounty on this guy's head and not have the Feds swoop in and crush them.

[Dantrag]

Things are just spiraling out of control. It's getting pretty stupid on both sides. Frankly getting tired of the "victims" side across the nation.

[Valisk]

So, as a lawyer, if you know your client is has no chance in hell to get anything except life or death penalty, do you abandon ship or stick it through and defend as best you can a fight that's already lost?

The ABA requires attornies to exemplify professional responsibility and do the latter as long as the client is cooperating. Seems like Zimmerman has essentially gone rogue and is jeopardizing their case.

I also don't think this is a death penalty case. If indicted, I imagine the jury will be allowed to consider manslaughter instead of murder.

[Lucavi]

Much of this could have been averted if the stupid law wasn't in place and this guy was arrested on day one, like he would have been had he been:

a) Black.
b) Who he is in most of the rest of the country.

Of course shit is spiraling out of control. The longer a perceived "injustice" lingers, the crazier people are going to get.

[Acevalefor]

A Tell Tale Heart. Looks like Zimmerman has a guilty conscience and is not handling it very well.

[Ragnus]

Nice way to describe it. Very fitting.

[Dantrag]

Of course shit is spiraling out of control. The longer a perceived "injustice" lingers, the crazier people are going to get.

Quotes pretty much what tell it all. Shit like putting bounties out for him is fucking retarded. You're 100% right though, had they at least arrested him and done a proper investigation none of this would have gone the way it has.

[Rhinox]

Quotes pretty much what tell it all. Shit like putting bounties out for him is fucking retarded. You're 100% right though, had they at least arrested him and done a proper investigation none of this would have gone the way it has.

Both sides really? Since when is the black panther party on a side? That's like equating the westboro baptist church to republicans and using them as an example as to why religion is bad.

[Kuya]

Both sides really? Since when is the black panther party on a side? That's like equating the westboro baptist church to republicans and using them as an example as to why religion is bad.

Could easily see this happening on BG, no lie

[Dimmauk]

I totally thought the westboro church people were hard core liberal democrats. Silly me.

[Rhinox]

Zimmerman to be charged.

[Qalbert]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-...n-martin-case/

(CBS/AP) CBS News has confirmed that neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman will be charged in the February shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla.

State Attorney Angela Corey is scheduled to hold a news conference at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the state attorney's office in Jacksonville, Florida related to the Martin investigation. According to a senior law enforcement official, Corey is expected to announce that Zimmerman will face state charges. The number or nature of the charges was not immediately known.

Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense after following the teenager in a Sanford gated community outside Orlando on Feb. 26. He said he was returning to his truck when Martin attacked him and that he shot the unarmed teen during the fight. He was briefly held by police but was not arrested, in part because of Florida's "stand your ground" self-defense law.

[Ragnus]

Even if he doesn't get the death penalty he'll be shanked within a week if he's not in solitary.

[Kuya]

Shanked? Have you seen prison? Why, he'll be the hottest piece of ass in there.

[Valisk]

Even if he doesn't get the death penalty he'll be shanked within a week if he's not in solitary.

Not a death penalty case! There haa to be certain criteria met to even be considered. Most states have the staple: child under 6, mass murder, serial murder, murder while committing another felony, or the murder of a public servant. I'm not sure what other provisions that Florida has specifically to its state, but there doesn't appear to be anything warranting the death penalty.

[Kuya]

If it's the murder of a public servant, does it have to be murder of any sort? That is, say the public servant was killed as a private citizen and not because he was a public servant.

[Valisk]

If it's the murder of a public servant, does it have to be murder of any sort? That is, say the public servant was killed as a private citizen and not because he was a public servant.

Not sure. As an example, in Texas, if an off duty officer identifies himself prior to getting killed, you can still be charged with capital murder. If the prosecution can prove that you were aware of a person's occupation (judge, lawyer, peace officer, etc.) prior to the killing, then you can be charged with capital murder.

[Dimmauk]

He will get manslaughter and do 5 years community service.